Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

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Xplora
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Xplora » Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:58 pm

I went exploring these paths, connecting up to Elizabeth Drive from Prospect Reservoir would be awesome. Would create new loops for recreational riding with older kids off the M7 which can get a bit blah at times if you are alone.

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g-boaf
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Sat Aug 29, 2015 12:37 pm

Xplora wrote:I went exploring these paths, connecting up to Elizabeth Drive from Prospect Reservoir would be awesome. Would create new loops for recreational riding with older kids off the M7 which can get a bit blah at times if you are alone.
Exactly, and also off the T-way path which can also be a bit boring at times.

And just a note, the runners are setting up at Prospect Dam - they've got witches hats set up near the bollard just where you go up the hill beside the dam. Runners on one side of the bollard, bikes on the other side.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Sun Sep 06, 2015 4:00 pm

The magpie is now in action at the old viaduct on the Canal cycleway. It swoops in silently and then clicks its beak at you. First time I encountered it today.

And up at Prospect Dam there was a large group of kangaroos, at least 10 of them.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby MoeJoe » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:24 pm

There is a magpie waiting near the intersection of the Diary picnic area cyclepath and the start of Cotswold road where you climb up to Moonrise lookout.

This one isn't as crazy as the M7 chook farm magpie but it quite happy to look you in the eye and give chase.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Hergest » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:42 pm

MoeJoe wrote:There is a magpie waiting near the intersection of the Diary picnic area cyclepath and the start of Cotswold road where you climb up to Moonrise lookout.

This one isn't as crazy as the M7 chook farm magpie but it quite happy to look you in the eye and give chase.
That one followed me for a while towards Abbotsbury the other day, it's only one of those ones that flap at you fortunately, not a pecker at ears and eyes.
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g-boaf
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:03 pm

It's an old resident at that location, pretty harmless in comparison with others. I reckon you could befriend it with food given it hangs around there all the time and you can stop nearby.
Last edited by g-boaf on Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby MoeJoe » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:28 pm

I'll come and film the day you try to feed the magpie. What could possibly go wrong :)

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby thomas1987 » Sat Sep 19, 2015 5:10 pm

Be very careful of broken glass near the start of the stormwater canal cycleway (northbound).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/(AT)-33.844 ... a=!3m1!1e3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
After going down the first decline there is glass scattered all over and I managed to get my tyres blown up. Had no repair kit with me so I had to call someone to pick me up.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Hergest » Sat Sep 19, 2015 5:45 pm

thomas1987 wrote:Be very careful of broken glass near the start of the stormwater canal cycleway (northbound).
https://www.google.com.au/maps/(AT)-33.844 ... a=!3m1!1e3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
After going down the first decline there is glass scattered all over and I managed to get my tyres blown up. Had no repair kit with me so I had to call someone to pick me up.

Alas that underpass is notorious for broken glass. At the weekend it is drunks chucking beer bottles against the wall and floor, during the week it's schoolkids from Merrylands High chucking V bottles or leaving branches across the path for a laugh. Often you are better off slowing down and walking the bike through that one section. Every now and then when it gets really bad I ring Holroyd Council who come out and give it a clean.
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby thomas1987 » Sat Sep 19, 2015 6:34 pm

It was my 2nd time going pass there so I didn't know. I bought someone along for the ride to Prospect Dam too so it was a shame the puncture ended our ride early. I'll be more careful next time.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Xplora » Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:04 pm

^^^ not your fault the boofheads ruined your ride. You've got to be a bit cagey around there, but what can you do?

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:59 pm

Hergest is right, it's pretty notorious for that. What can you do other than walking the bike through and riding at walking speed. :(

I remember when the car got burnt out in the underpass near Merrylands HS...
thomas1987 wrote:I bought someone along for the ride to Prospect Dam too so it was a shame the puncture ended our ride early. I'll be more careful next time.
No big drama, aside from your ride being ruined. Always another time. :)

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby phil_ » Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:51 pm

Thanks for the heads up. I might take a detour down Albert St and Tennyson Pde before turning back onto the bike path.

Sad to hear it cost you a tyre :(

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby tez001 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:09 am

The next one along under Woodpark rd is the same.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby thomas1987 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:01 am

That sucks. Was thinking of going back there but not for a while now...

How long does it usually take to get the glass cleared from the path? Does the council cleanup the path reguarly?

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby tez001 » Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:01 pm

Don't let that atop you. Just go through slowly and if its completely littered, get off and walk through it. I'm not sure how often its cleaned up.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Hergest » Sun Sep 20, 2015 4:16 pm

Unless you contact Holroyd Council there doesn't appear to be any official cleaning. The graffiti team clean up now and then and I've seen some skateboarders turn up at weekends with a leaf blower who do a good job on blowing all the crap away. I also suspect that now and then a local comes out with a broom and has a sweep. I try to kick as much glass as I can to the side under the Woodpark Road section but often there's so much that it makes little difference.

It's often better during school holidays. The drunks that smash bottles aren't there that often but the schoolkids smash a bottle nearly every day. If it's not a V bottle it's a perfume or aftershave bottle with really thick glass. I don't know if they try to drink it first and bung it against the wall when they realise it tastes rancid or maybe they just like the smell to hang around in the tunnel. Myself, I prefer the smell of the freesias growing along the path.

As Tez says, really you are better off just walking the short distance if there's glass as apart from those 2 small areas it's a great cycleway and leads you off to hundreds of kms of other paths and it would be a shame to avoid it altogether.
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby MoeJoe » Tue Sep 22, 2015 6:15 pm

Hergest wrote:It's often better during school holidays. The drunks that smash bottles aren't there that often but the schoolkids smash a bottle nearly every day.
Gee, I'd a thunk that school holidays with loads of idle time would be the prime period to do a bit of bottle smashing.
Is that chair hidden in the dark still under the bridge I think near Cerdon College? Keep an eye open under those bridges.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Hergest » Wed Sep 23, 2015 5:16 pm

MoeJoe wrote:
Hergest wrote:It's often better during school holidays. The drunks that smash bottles aren't there that often but the schoolkids smash a bottle nearly every day.
Gee, I'd a thunk that school holidays with loads of idle time would be the prime period to do a bit of bottle smashing.
Is that chair hidden in the dark still under the bridge I think near Cerdon College? Keep an eye open under those bridges.
True, but the kids who make the mess don't hang around there in the school hols. It only appears to be used/abused during term time.
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thomas1987
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby thomas1987 » Sun Sep 27, 2015 3:48 pm

Went back to riding the Greystanes canal today. No flat tyre this time but there's still so many glass all over the path. I'm actually tempted to take a broom with me next time to clear it out.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Sun Sep 27, 2015 5:50 pm

thomas1987 wrote:Went back to riding the Greystanes canal today. No flat tyre this time but there's still so many glass all over the path. I'm actually tempted to take a broom with me next time to clear it out.
You won't need to. At least not in the section between the viaduct and Holroyd High School. A guy was out on his bike this morning and he had a small broom with him. Cleaned up the entire lot in that section.

I don't know who he was, but I thanked him anyhow. Very, very good thing to do. :)

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:21 pm

Car driving along there today, probably around 11:30am! Didn't catch the rego, but it was some big bus of a thing, perhaps Toyota Townace. :roll:

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby Hergest » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:39 pm

Some one sticking up signs for the Spring Cycle? You have to wonder how they get on the path as I thought all the entries were closed off now the cables have all been finished. I know there's a few places you can get on to the reserve but the path itself would be a different matter .
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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby thomas1987 » Wed Oct 14, 2015 11:34 pm

Hey guys

I am planning my route for my commute to work. Was wondering if you guys can give me advise on the best path to cycle between the two dots?

Image

I want to get from the greystanes canal cycleway to toongabbie station.

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Re: Greystanes canal / western sydney regional park hazards

Postby g-boaf » Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:31 am

Easy, follow this route:

1. Ride up to the Cumberland Road exit on the canal (near Holroyd High School).
2. Keep going North along Cumberland Road
3. Left turn at Old Prospect Road roundabout
4. Right turn at Beresford Road
5. Continue to Great Western Highway.
6. Cross the Hwy at the pedestrian lights and then go north on Girraween Road
7.Follow Girraween Road all the way down to Targo Road and go left at Targo Road.
8. On Targo Road, keep going until Toongabbie Road roundabout, go right here.
9. Follow Toongabbie Road until you see the railway station.

Pretty pleasant route - you should mostly be out of the car lanes or on quieter roads.

In Google maps:

Google maps link

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